Original article can be found here

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Original article can be found here.

David and Nathan Zellner at the Festival. Photo by Jemal Countess.

Sacred Storytelling, Zellner Style

Posted by Todd Luoto on Jan 29, 2011 at 08:01 am.

“Circumcision. Cats. Monkeys. Explosions. Tall tales. Shark attacks. In the Zellner’s world no animal, subject, or person is too sacred to explore for storytelling.”

When asked about his favorite Festival experience thus far, veteran filmmaker David Zellner is quick to respond: “Sharing our feature Goliath with an enthusiastic audience. A close second was eating hamburgers on Main Street with Magic Johnson, Gaspar Noe, and Louie Anderson.”

To call the Zellner Bros (David and Nathan) ‘seasoned vets’ doesn’t fully summarize how crazy and uncommon their run has been. Coming close to breaking a Sundance Film Festival record for most films ever in the Festival, the Austin-based ‘film family’ has nearly become a Park City staple.  After screening five shorts and one feature (Goliath) at the Fest, the talented duo is back this year with their newest short film Sasquatch Birth Journal 2, which is about…well, how does one put it best…a Sasquatch Birth Journal. It’s strange, odd, absurd, and true to the Zellner SFF ‘legacy’ – very unique in its own hysterical way.

Circumcision. Cats. Monkeys. Explosions. Tall tales. Shark attacks. In the Zellner’s world no animal, subject, or person is too sacred to explore for storytelling. And though each film is remarkably different from the next, there’s something wicked and weird  – and nearly inexplicable – that ties them all together.  Almost like a trademark tone without a particular formula. In other words, a Zellner film has no equal, only friends, furry ones included.

“We’ve been obsessed with the noble Sasquatch since watching In Search Of… as children–right up there with Little House on the Prairie as my all-time favorite TV show,” recalls David. “We want to believe, so yes, we believe. Overall we think of the sasquatch as a friend, but we also have the unhealthy, unrealistic desire to pet and cuddle wild animals.”

He continues: “We don’t typically like to brag, but feel this is quite possibly the most important piece of sasquatch material ever produced. True story – we recently tried to present our film at a bigfoot convention and they flat out refused, presumably out of jealousy and/or sexism toward the subject matter. One other thing we should mention is that SBJ2 is a companion piece to Sasquatch Birth Journal 1, a yet to be completed twenty-four minute fully-immersive installation on a similar theme.”

When asked what it’s like to work with his brother, and how their work process actually breaks down as co-directors, David lays it out fairly simply: “I approach the material from more of a creative standpoint. Nathan is more technical, but everything overlaps. We meet in the middle and crank out magic.”

Many people have seen this Festival evolve as patrons. Others as staff. Only a limited – and lucky – few have seen the Festival change as filmmakers. To that effect, David notes, “The main thing we’ve noticed personally is that each time we have more and more pals screening work here, which is really exciting.”

Up next for the Zellner Bros? “We have a couple of features underway that we’re really excited about,” David comments. “We love making shorts but it’s time for some more feature work.” In other words, if I were a betting man, one shouldn’t declare this the last time you’ll see these guys in town.

Be sure to check out Sasquatch Birth Journal 2 screening with the equally weird and wild The Catechism Cataclysm.

Original article can be found here.

Short Shots: David OReilly

Posted by Todd Luoto on Jan 26, 2011 at 06:01 pm.

“OReilly is quickly becoming one of the most popular animators of his time.”

Animator David OReilly isn’t exactly a new kid on the block. Sure, he’s considered up-and-coming, and his 1985 birth year doesn’t exactly qualify him as an age-old veteran. But instead of resting on his laurels after his 2010 short Please Say Something—which screened at the 2010 Festival, won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, and Grand Prize at the Ottawa International Animation Festival, among others—he’s hit the ground running with another edgy, twisted, hysterical follow-up venture, The External World, and has graduated quickly from the moniker of “kid” to something a bit more seasoned … with probably an expletive thrown in front of it to really give his work the proper justice it deserves.

OReilly, born in Ireland and currently living in Germany, sets himself apart from other animators by his process alone. Self-taught, without conventional schooling, he experiments with software. Influenced by a combination of Norman McLaren, Oskat Fischinger, and “browsing 4chan while watching Tarkovsky,” David’s aesthetic may seem simple to some and downright sacrilegious to others: “My technique is to basically cut out all the crap which holds other 3-D production back,” OReilly says. “In other words, I don’t polish the turd – I let a turd be a turd.”

His latest short The External World, which can be described as 15 minutes of animated absurdity and total 3-D generated chaos, comes with a parental warning best addressed by OReilly himself (“F*ck censorship. F*ck censorship right in the b*lls”). The film took nine months from start to finish to complete: a few months designing and modeling, three months for the actual animating, and a tight finish for the Venice Film Festival after an early cut granted him the invitation. The film was co-written by collaborator Vernon Chatman and produced by Henning Hamm (who produced the short Wagah, which screened at the 2010 Festival); OReilly met Hamm at the 2010 Festival.

“Within about 12 hours of us meeting, [Henning] arranged funding for my next project, so it was a good beginning,” OReilly recalls. And what a beginning it has been so far … in such a short period of time, OReilly is quickly becoming one of the most popular animators of his time, taking his place along with now-legendary names such as Don Hertzfeldt and Bill Plympton, just to name a few. With each festival he plays, and every award he wins (he has already nabbed an EFA nom at Venice), OReilly is garnering a rabid fan base eager to consume anything new from the animator.

OReilly still hasn’t completely embraced the for-profit-model like others, despite his fans’ demands for his new work. “To be honest, I learned filmmaking from illegally downloading hundreds of films, [so] it only makes sense to put my work back on there,” OReilly suggests. “The distribution side of things is a bit of a wild west at the moment. I’m experimenting with it but I generally don’t mind putting stuff out for free.”

As for his expectations for the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, OReilly is looking forward to seeing other filmmakers’ work this year. “Sundance was quite hectic last year,” he recalls. “By the time I figured out how it all worked, it was time to go home. I’m looking forward to actually seeing films this time,” OReilly explains. “I love different festivals for different reasons. The greatest experiences are sadly often obscured by gigantic hangovers, so I have to rely on secondary accounts which are equally unreliable.”

OReilly has plans to pass the time between screenings. “I plan on throwing snowballs at the ground for making me slip all the time,” he confesses. “It doesn’t help matters but it restores a modicum of self esteem.”

Be sure to check out The External World playing in Shorts Program I.

Big ups to all those chosen for the festival.  You’ve defied the odds…and we couldn’t be happier about it… See you in January.

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2011 Sundance Film Festival Announces Short Film Program

81 Short Films from 21 Countries Selected from a Record 6,467 Submissions. Festival Launches Indigenous Shorts Showcase

Posted Dec 6, 2010

Park City, UT – Sundance Institute announced today the program of short films selected to screen at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. This year the Festival’s Short Film Program comprises 81 short films from U.S. and international filmmakers selected from 6,467 submissions up 6% over 2010. The 2011 Sundance Film Festival runs January 20-30 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. The complete list of films is available at www.sundance.org/festival.

This is a single DVD in a box full of submissions. There were over 6,400 more of these that were considered by the Shorts Programming team this fall. 81 have been selected to play at the 2011 #Sundance Film Festival.

“It’s a marvel to discover the creativity in this year’s shorts program. These filmmakers are charged with telling compelling stories, nurturing breakout performances and engaging the audience, all in a fraction of the time allocated to features, and each one delivers,” said Trevor Groth, Sundance Film Festival Director of Programming. “For 2011, we are pleased to be able to shine a light on indigenous filmmakers working around the world in the short-form medium, and to provide festival goers with a window into native storytelling.”

“These directors have once again raised the bar to show us the endless possibilities in short filmmaking,” said Kim Yutani, Sundance Film Festival Programmer. “It’s especially rewarding to see shorts alums such as Andrew MacLean, Sean Durkin, Dee Rees, Rashaad Ernesto Green, Madeleine Olnek, Tiffany Shlain and others returning this year with feature films.”

The short films selected for the 2011 Sundance Film Festival are:

U.S. NARRATIVE SHORTS

This year’s 44 U.S. short films were selected from a record 3,453 submissions.

After You Left (Director: Jef Taylor; Screenwriters: Jef Taylor and Michael Tisdale) – A man in his mid-thirties searches for meaning in the aftermath of a relationship.

Andy and Zach (Director and Screenwriter: Nick Paley) – When Zach decides to move out, his roommate Andy tries to set up a new life without his best friend.

AWOL (Director and Screenwriter: Deb Shoval) – Days before her deployment to Afghanistan, Joey, 19, comes home to rural Pennsylvania for Christmas, with big dreams of running away to Canada.

Babyland (Director and Screenwriter: Marc Fratello) – A woman seeks love and beyond in a small American town.

Brick Novax (Director and Screenwriter: Matt Piedmont) – Penniless and now living in a seedy motel with only weeks to live, international super legend Brick Novax records his amazing tales as an astronaut, movie star, corporate CEO, and famous musician to preserve his legacy as the coolest guy in the history of the world.

Close. (Director and Screenwriter: Tahir Jetter) – One night after a casual ‘visit’, Angela is all but ready to leave Derek’s apartment. Derek, however, is determined not to let her go without a fight.

Crazy Beats Strong Every Time (Director and Screenwriter: Moon Molson) – An African-American twenty-something finds his Nigerian-immigrant stepfather passed out drunk in their project-building hallway and is pressured by a friend into murdering him.

Das Racist “Who’s That? Brooown!” (Director and Screenwriter: Thomas De Napoli) – An epic quest through the streets of New York City made in the style of -bit video games from the 1980′s.

Excuse Me (Director and Screenwriter: Duncan Birmingham) – A couple threatens to splinter apart due to what may or may not have been said in the heat of passion.

EX-SEX (Director and Screenwriter: Michael Mohan) – Two former lovers navigate their fizzled relationship by confusing their emotional needs with their physical desires. Ex-sex makes it better. Ex-sex makes it worse.

Fight For Your Right Revisited (Director and Screenwriter: Adam Yauch) – After the boys leave the party… Cast: Elijah Wood, Danny McBride, Seth Rogen, Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Jack Black.

Forever’s Gonna Start Tonight (Director and Screenwriter: Eliza Hittman) – A Russian teenager in Brooklyn makes an unimaginable decision to protect her aging father and herself.

The Hunter and the Swan Discuss Their Meeting (Director and Screenwriter: Emily Carmichael) – A Brooklyn couple have dinner with a hunter and his girlfriend, a magical swan woman. It doesn’t go well.

I’m Having a Difficult Time Killing My Parents (Director: Jeff Tomsic; Screenwriter: T.J. Miller and Jeff Tomsic) – Thirty-two, unemployed, and derailed somewhere on the path to adulthood, T.J. has boomeranged back home. There, his ennui takes the form of increasingly real fantasies about offing his parents and becoming man of the house.

The Pact (Director and Screenwriter: Nicholas McCarthy) – As a woman struggles to come to grips with her past in the wake of her mother’s death, an unsettling presence emerges.

Pandemic 41.410806, -75.654259 (Director: Lance Weiler; Screenwriters: Lance Weiler and Chuck Wendig) – Bree and her little brother Tyler know that their parents awaken only at sundown and are capable of strange and dangerous nocturnal behaviors. Running low on supplies and forced to act, Bree plots their escape, but Tyler stands in her way, unwilling to leave their family home and give up on the parents he loves so much.

Pioneer (Director and Screenwriter: David Lowery) – A father tells his little boy the most epic bedtime story ever.

Sasquatch Birth Journal 2 (Directors and Screenwriters: Zellner Bros.) – An unprecedented peek at the mysteries of nature.

sexting (Director and Screenwriter: Neil LaBute) – People are not who they seem when a misdirected text message leads a young woman to meet with the wife of her boyfriend and ask what is really going on in their relationship. Cast: Julia Stiles.

The Strange Ones (Directors and Screenwriters: Christopher Radcliff and Lauren Wolkstein) – A man and a boy, traveling to an unknown destination, find respite in a motel swimming pool. On the surface all seems normal, but nothing is quite what it seems to be.

The Terrys (Directors and Screenwriters: Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim) – Two down and out losers named Terry conceive a child in a fit of drug-induced passion. The child is an abomination, or so they think, but what they come to learn is that this ‘special’ child was sent to them for a purpose: to teach them how to love.

We’re Leaving (Director and Screenwriter: Zachary Treitz) – Rusty has to find a new place to live with his wife and his teenage American Alligator, Chopper.

Worst Enemy (Director and Screenwriter: Lake Bell) – A comedy about a female misanthrope who gets herself stuck in a full body girdle.

YEARBOOK (Director: Carter Smith) – Something strange is going on at Rockdale high school…

U.S. DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

Animals Distract Me (Director and Screenwriter: Isabella Rossellini) – A day in the life of animal-obsessed Isabella Rossellini as she visits with Mario Batali, Andre Leon Talley, Charles Darwin and a host of urban creatures in New York City.

The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement (Co-Directors: Gail Dolgin and Robin Fryday) – 85-year-old Mr. Armstrong, an African American barber in Birmingham, experiences the manifestation of an unimaginable dream: the election of the first African American president.

Living For 32 (Director: Kevin Breslin) – The inspirational story of Colin Goddard, a survivor of the tragic gun shooting massacre which occurred on the Virginia Tech campus, April 16th, 2007. The winning combination of Colin’s passion, charisma and optimism has commanded the attention of the American public and media since the devastating incident which left 32 dead and 17 injured.

The Majestic Plastic Bag (Director: Jeremy Konner; Screenwriters: Sarah May Bates and Regie Miller) – A plastic bag encounters enemies and escapes death on its epic migration to its final destination, the great Pacific Garbage Patch.

oops (Director: Chris Beckman; Screenwriter: Billy Rennekamp) – A lucid, seamless voyage through the Internet’s infinite repository of “throwaway” social documentation and into the humanity of everyday life – via YouTube’s clumsiest videographers.

Satan Since 2003 (Director and Screenwriter: Carlos Puga) – Three weeks’ access to The Hell’s Satans (Richmond, Virginia’s premier moped gang) presents an eye-popping peek into this otherwise reclusive society, but also a satirical jab at the process of documentary film-making.

U.S. ANIMATED SHORTS

Bike Race (Director: Tom Schroeder; Screenwriters: Tom Schroeder and Hilde De Roover) – Two friends decide to stage a bicycle race to determine who is the best racer of all time, Eddy Merckx or Lance Armstrong. A love triangle develops during the race and the stakes of winning grow in importance.

Marcel the Shell With Shoes On (Director: Dean Fleischer-Camp; Screenwriters: Jenny Slate and Dean Fleischer-Camp) – A short conversation with Marcel, a shell with shoes on.

Something Left, Something Taken (Directors and Screenwriters: Ru Kuwahata and Max Porter) – Everyone who enters a crime scene leaves something behind and takes something away, which proves true during a vacationing couples’ encounter with a man they believe to be the Zodiac killer.

Xemoland (Director and Screenwriter: Daniel Cardenas) – This animated short film recounts the story of a seven-year-old boy who is led to believe there is a portal to an alternate reality where all his dreams come true. However, the boy quickly realizes that Xemoland is not the place of his dreams, but of his nightmares.

INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILMS

This year’s international short films were selected from a record 3,014 submissions. This year’s international shorts include 38 films from 21 countries.

INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE SHORTS

Baby / United Kingdom (Director and Screenwriter: Daniel Mulloy) – A young woman intervenes when she witnesses men mugging a girl. Now they won’t leave her alone.

BLOKES / Chile (Director: Marialy Rivas) – 13-year-old Luchito fantasizes about Manuel, his 16-year-old neighbor, whom he can see standing by a window in an adjacent project building. Oblivious of the gaze of his precocious voyeur, Manuel discovers his own sexuality with a girl from the neighborhood.

Cinderela / Brazil, France (Director and Screenwriter: Magali Magistry) – Luiza and Rico. Love and loss in a Rio nightclub.

Deeper Than Yesterday / Australia (Director and Screenwriter: Ariel Kleiman) – After three months submerged underwater in a submarine, the crew have become savages. Oleg, one of the men onboard, fears that losing perspective may mean losing himself.

Diarchy / Italy (Director and Screenwriter: Ferdinando Cito Filmomarino) – Giano and Luc are traveling through the woods when a storm breaks, forcing them to take shelter in Luc’s villa. Gradually and insidiously, a competition emerges between them, with terrible consequences.

The Legend of Beaver Dam / Canada (Director: Jerome Sable; Screenwriters: Jerome Sable and Eli Batalion) – When a ghost story around the campfire awakens an evil monster, it’s up to nerdy Danny Zigwitz to be the hero and save his fellow campers from a bloody massacre.

Little Brother / United Kingdom (Director: Callum Cooper; Screenwriters: Callum Cooper in collaboration with Oni Family) – A teenage boy uses his hearing impairment to escape his daily routine and the responsibility of looking after his wheelchair-bound little brother.

Love Birds / Czech Republic (Director and Screenwriter: Brian Lye) – A humorous love story that reflects the similarities between bird and human life.

Protoparticles / Spain (Director and Screenwriter: Chema García Ibarra) – The experiment was a success: protomatter exists.

shikasha / Japan (Director and Screenwriter: Isamu Hirabayashi) – Imprisoned and bound, a mother and child lay in darkness as investigators search a wasteland.

Small Change / Ireland (Director and Screenwriter: Cathy Brady) – Karen, a young single mother is bored by routine as slot machines have become her secret thrill and addiction. With Christmas looming, a desperate hope for a big win sees her life spiral out of control.

SPRING / United Kingdom (Director and Screenwriter: Hong Khaou) – A young man meets a stranger for an experience that will change his life forever.

Stardust / Belgium (Director and Screenwriter: Nicolas Provost) – An investigation of the boundaries between fiction and reality. The camera ventures to Las Vegas and uses the glorious and ambiguous power of the gambling capital to turn everyday life into an exciting crime story.

Stopover / Italy, Romania (Director: Ioana Uricau; Screenwriter: Cristian Mungiu) – Lost and found in between plane rides.

The Wind is Blowing on My Street / Iran, USA (Director and Screenwriter: Saba Riazi) – A young girl in Tehran accidentally gets left on the street with no head scarf. She is forced to interact with a neighbor who keeps her company in an environment where her mishap could equal trouble.

INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

Grandpa’s Wet Dream / Japan, USA (Director: Chihiro Amemiya) – A 75-year-old Japanese man has been acting in adult videos for 15 years without telling his family.

The High Level Bridge / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Trevor Anderson) – Trevor drops his camera from Edmonton’s High Level Bridge in memory of those who have jumped.

Incident by a Bank / Sweden (Director and Screenwriter: Ruben Östlund) – A detailed and humorous account of a failed bank robbery.

Negativipeg / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Matthew Rankin) – Rory Lepine gives a personal account of his fateful and infamous encounter with The Guess Who’s legendary lead singer, Burton Cummings, in a Winnipeg 7-Eleven in 1985.

Out of Reach / Poland (Director and Screenwriter: Jakub Stozek) – Karolina and Natalia seek refuge from their domineering father and reminiscence about sad childhood without a mother in a basement of their block of flats.

Skateistan: To Live And Skate Kabul / United Kingdom (Director: Orlando von Einsiedel) – In a country with innumerable problems, Skateistan represents an oasis where children can be children and build the kinds of cross-cultural relationships that Afghanistan needs for future stability.

INTERNATIONAL ANIMATED SHORTS

1989 (When I was five years old) / Denmark (Director and Screenwriter: Thor Ochsner) – Poetic memories of a five-year-old boy who ends up in a dramatic car accident with his dad.

8 BITS / France (Directors: Valere Amirault, Sarah Laufer, Jean Delaunay, and Benjamin Mattern) – A fight between an 8-bit superhero and a high-def boss, in a retro-gaming world.

The Eagleman Stag / United Kingdom (Director and Screenwriter: Mikey Please) – If you repeat the word “fly” for long enough it sounds like you are saying “life”. This is of no help to Peter. His answers lie in the brain of the beetle.

The External World / Germany, Ireland (Director and Screenwriter: David O’Reilly) – A boy learns to play the piano.

The Greatness / China (Director and Screenwriter: Yi Zhou) – Inspired by the Divine Comedy. An imaginary journey through the circles of Hell, Purgatory and Paradise where music is a central character. The video begins with the notes of a mysterious waltz-like rhythm, and the soundtrack itself directs attention to the special collaboration between Yi Zhou and Ennio Morricone.

Love & Theft / Germany (Director: Andreas Hykade) – And I’m still carrying the gift you gave, it’s a part of me now, it’s been cherished and saved, it’ll be with me unto the grave, and then unto eternity.’ (Bob Dylan)

Storm / Brazil (Director: Cesar Cabral; Screenwriters: Cesar Cabral and Leandro Maciel) – A lone sailor sails through stormy seas, seeking to reunite with his beloved. He follows a strict routine until unexpected changes in his path alter his destiny.

Tord and Tord / Sweden (Director and Screenwriter: Niki Lindroth von Bahr) – One day Tord accidentally walks in to the apartment next to his own. Another person named Tord lives there, he has just moved in. Tord and Tord start to spend time with each other.

Tussilago / Sweden (Director and Screenwriter: Jonas Odell) – In 1977 West German terrorist Norbert Kröcher was arrested for having planned to kidnap the Swedish politician Anna-Great Leijon. Among the people arrested during the following raids was Kröcher’s former girlfriend ‘A.’

NEW FRONTIER SHORTS

An electrifying celebration of innovation in filmmaking, New Frontier shorts are a platform to showcase the wonderment that is modern film. Through bold color and thought-provoking messaging – these films electrify and energize the mind.

ALL FLOWERS IN TIME / Canada, USA (Director and Screenwriter: Jonathan Caouette) – The director of Tarnation takes us on a guided tour through the shattered remains of memory and identity. Cast: Chloe Sevigny.

Anne Truitt, Working / USA (Director: Jem Cohen) – A short portrait of artist Anne Truitt (1921-2004).

The film consists of an interview and 16mm footage made in and around her studio at the Yaddo artist colony, as well as footage from her home studio in Washington, D.C.

Jupiter Elicius / USA (Director: Kelly Sears) – A haunted meteorologist dreams of storms that are a lot closer and further away than he thought.

On the Way to the Sea / Canada, China (Director and Screenwriter: Tao Gu) – A poetic vision that weaves together fictional elements, documentary fragments and visual abstraction, investigating the dreams, memories and sensory perceptions of two earthquake survivors.

This Is Not A Suit / United Kingdom (Directors: Adrien Sauvage, Chris Gaunt, and Jon Clements; Screenwriters: Adrien Sauvage and Madeleine Morlet) – An instructional guide to the art of dressing that explores the creative quandaries of the mind. Who is the designer? Well, we will look into that. Here we learn the principles of easy dressing as you have not seen them before. This is not a suit.

Tornado / Mexico (Director: Francis Alys de Smedt) – The film combines four basic movements: waiting for tornadoes, chasing, hitting or missing them.

Triumph Of The Wild / USA (Director and Screenwriter: Martha Colburn) – An exploration of the impulses of hunting and the resiliency of the people and animals in times of battle. The film is made using stop-action animation of cut-out paintings and puzzles to explore the psychological states of players and victims in the ‘game of war’ over the past 300 years of American History.

Venus / USA (Director and Screenwriter: Jessica Oreck) – Planets. Women. Sun. Heat. Time.

Yelp (With Apologies to Allen Ginsberg’s Howl) (Director: Tiffany Shlain; Screenwriters: Tiffany Shlain and Ken Goldberg) – Sophocles once said, ‘nothing vast enters the life of mortals without a curse,’ and this couldn’t be more true of technology.

INDIGENOUS SHORTS SHOWCASE

?E?anx (The Cave) / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Helen Haig-Brown [Tsilhqot'in]) – A hunter on horseback accidentally discovers a portal to the afterlife in this fantastical version of a true Tsilhqot’in story.

Choke / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Michelle Latimer [Métis]) – Upon leaving his First Nations reserve, Jimmy encounters the lost souls of the city and is reminded that no matter how far you travel, you cannot escape who you are.

Ebony Society / Aotearoa-New Zealand (Director and Screenwriter: Tammy Davis [Ngāti Rangi & Atihaunui a Paparangi]) – One night out stealing; two boys learn a lesson.

Redemption / Aotearoa-New Zealand (Director: Katie Wolfe [Taranaki/Ngati Tama Ngati Mutunga]; Co-Screenwriters: Tim Balme, Renae Maihi [Nga Puhi/Ngati Hine, Te Arawa/Ngati Wakaue], and Katie Wolfe based on the short story by Phil Kawana [Ngaruahinerangi, Ngati Ruanui, Ngati Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Rangitane]) – A boy. A girl. A step too far.

The Rocket Boy / USA (Director and Screenwriter: Donavan Seschillie [Navajo Nation]) – A young boy’s limitless imagination creates a dilemma between reality and dreams.

Stones / USA (Director and Screenwriter: Ty Sanga [Native Hawaiian]) – Set in the ancient times in the islands of Hawai’i, a forlorn woman living in isolation with her husband meets a child from a nearby village and contemplates whether she should bring her into her mystical world.

Wapawekka / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Danis Goulet [Métis]) – A final visit to their isolated cabin in northern Canada reveals the inter-generational rift between Josh and his traditional Cree father.

Join me on Halloween at The Downtown Independent… I’ll be curating a (FREE!) horror-themed short film program, and then we’ll be throwing a dance party on the roof (i.e. – time to get druuunnnnk!).  Films by Spencer Susser, Corky Quakenbush, Calvin Reeder, Bobby Miller, Summer of Tears, Nicolas Provost, Rodney Ascher, and more….  And make sure you wear a costume!

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*’Shocktail’ reception at 6pm

* Show at 8pm

* Party till close

Philadelphia Film Festival, taking place this weekend,  will most surely mark the last stop for ‘Oil Change’ on the festival circuit. It’s been a great run -  wanted to thank those who helped make it, those who thought enough of it to program it,  and everyone who encouraged and inspired and really believed in it.    A lot of doors have been opened since Tribeca FF in 09, and it’s been exciting to see what’s on the other side.  Next stop? Producing/co-writing a short to shoot this winter and writing a full-length screenplay.  Stay tuned…

Indiewire asked the Sundance programming team a few interesting questions. I tried to give a few answers that could get by….

Link to original article is here

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Todd Luoto, Programmer

Luoto on forgoing water-downed coffee with execs, hanging with filmmakers and “Oil Change”…

After graduating from film school, I had a year-long tenure at Dimension Films as a development assistant. Even though it exposed me a lot of great things that I was thankful to see, it ultimately wasn’t the right fit personality-wise as I think I was far too idealistic in the way that I looked at film as more of an art and less as a business. With that way of thinking in mind, film festivals seemed to be the logical next step as I was much more focused (and interested) in hanging with filmmakers (who I felt a kinship with) rather than executives (who I made copies and watered-down coffee for).

While my first official experience as a programmer was with the Newport Beach Film Festival back in 2004, it was ultimately being able to screen my terrible student short at a number of (mostly) smaller film festivals that really attracted me to this whole community. I have since worked as a programmer with the Silver Lake Film Festival, CineVegas, and was thankfully let in the door to Sundance by two people (John Cooper and Trevor Groth) who were kind enough to give me a great opportunity within this organization.  This will be my 5th festival, and will most likely be my favorite. I think this fact has something to do with 5 Golden Rings being my favorite thing on the pear tree, but I won’t be entirely be sure of that until somewhere down the road…

In the off-season, I’m a filmmaker as well. I had a short film, “Oil Change,” that played a number of film festivals last year (Tribeca, AFI, among others), and I hope to make my first feature in the summer of 2011 that steals everything from “Citizen Kane” with the exception of the title.

Luoto’s take on Sundance…

Well, even before I came here, I really thought that Sundance remained a premiere festival because the people in this organization all very much believe in what they do and the purpose it serves. In terms of programming, we work really hard to find the best material out there that challenges, educates and inspires. As far as industry goes, we cater and care about the individual needs of the companies and organization that interact with our programs and roster. And when it comes to filmmakers, we pride ourselves at giving them the biggest and best platform out there. We aren’t in the game for ourselves – no one is getting rich here -  we’re in the game to do what is best for the community at large, because we care about such an outcome. It’s that sort of commitment – for films, for filmmakers, for the future of independent storytelling as a whole – that I think remains relevant and at the same time allows our organization to stay crucial and successful.

And on the evolution of festivals and the short film…

Well, when it comes to features,  it’s a tough climate out there for sure. The distribution model has changed for independent cinema, and new online frontiers (or more specifically, practices) threaten to capsize the financial model for content creation.  With this in mind, festivals are rewriting the rules of the game yet at the same time truly returning to the roots of why such a platform and community hub exists and NEEDS to exist. I think there’s something scary but quite exciting about the position we’re in. The future of how independent films are experienced and perceived can literally go a thousand ways, and that’s a pretty liberating idea. And fall where things may -  and I’m expecting less apocalypse and more resurrection here – festivals shall remain the forefront of relevancy and the backbone of tradition and community development when it comes to independent cinema.

As for short films though, I think that’s the exciting part that isn’t gonna take a while to figure out – it’s happening now. In these times, language is not just made up of words, it’s composed of images too as it’s becoming very clear we’re all part of a video culture. Thanks to the internet boom (and I’m more referring to the one where we could watch videos easily, not the older one where we could yell at our friends in chatrooms and sell Justin Timberlake’s half-eaten pancakes on E-bay) and cheap digital tools, the short form has been embraced.

Once upon a time, the idea of a short film was limited to cheesy commercial spots, old school Pink Panther intros, and the occasional (and terrible) sitcom on NBC. Now, thanks to innovative programming, social media, YouTube, Funny or Die, and Gen Y’s rapid emergence of ADD, everyone is becoming pretty hip to shorts. Naturally, with that sort of demand, comes more places and more festivals willing to screen short films and celebrate them. Festivals were first to do it, and I still think are the most fun. As great as the internet is to reach millions audience-wise, nothing compares to a filmmaker as much as a darkened room with literally hundreds of people laughing, crying, gasping and clapping in unison.

Luoto’s advice…

You don’t need to know Harvey Weinstein (the rumor when I was in film school) or Todd Luoto (what I am hoping the rumor is now, thought I highly doubt it) to get your film in here. It’s very possible to play Sundance, and it’s open to everyone. You don’t come with anymore of an advantage or disadvantage than anyone else who is submitting, as our programming process is truly a pure system.  We WANT to love your film, so know we’re gonna give it every shot, consideration and thought we can.

For those that don’t get accepted, remember this: Keep the faith. Don’t lose track…and remember that art is a subjective process. It’s very parental-like advice, I suppose (and I trust that is probably the extent of me doing anything ‘parental’), but the one thing that is a necessary evil in festivals is some form of exclusion. That said, filmmakers need to know that just because their film didn’t get into Sundance, didn’t mean we didn’t like it. There is a good chance we did. But our home is small, and every year we have to make some really, really tough choices.

What a programmer looks for in a “Sundance film”…

The thing is, I can’t define a Sundance film. If I could, it would give us a label that would be hard to shake off. Much in the same way I think of films, I think the programming process should evolve and not be about one thing or one way. Filmmaking is a relatively new art form, and I think we all would agree there is no reason for things to be stale. I feel that way about our programming too – we want to remain as innovative and as evolutionary as the work we watch, discuss, and obsess over.

Sundance and non-Sundance favorites of the past two years…

“Short Term 12” won the US prize in 2009 is definitely one of my favs. Destin Daniel Cretton’s story about a children’s residential facility, and the troubled adults that take care of them, has just about everything you could want in a good story: strong characters, great writing, solid production, laughs, tears, and an ending that will…well, you should see it. Destin is truly a talented guy, and the film really connects on so many emotional levels.

The US winner last year, “Drunk History: Douglass and Lincoln,” directed by Jerry Konner and created by Derek Waters is another film that also picked up the US Prize (this time in 2010), but is somewhat of a different type of film than “Short Term 12” is. What I like about this title is that it is of a style of storytelling that was initially just reserved for the web, yet something we’ve really embraced at Sundance and see other film festivals following form. “The Drunk History” series premiered on YouTube and “Funny or Die” over a year before we programmed the newest installment this past January. I like to point this out because all forms of short content are really coming under the same festival umbrella, and our festival programming style – much like movies in general – isn’t so easy to define, and thankfully so.

Original Article can be found here:

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Sundance Schools Short Filmmakers at First Ever ShortsLab: L.A.

Was it worth flying in from Mexico to attend the Sundance Institute’s inaugural short film workshop in Los Angeles, California?  Filmmaker Octavio Maya certainly thought so.  He and approximately 200 other lucky ticket holders spent July 31, 2010 inside the Downtown Independent Theater, absorbing words of wisdom from Sundance Film Festival alumni Miguel Arteta, Jay Duplass, Peter Sollett, and Corky Quakenbush, as well as representatives from Paramount, UTA, Kickstarter, Withoutabox, and YouTube. The sold-out ShortsLab: L.A. was such a hit that Sundance insiders predict it will be repeated in other cities in the future.

The day began at 9:00 a.m. with welcoming remarks by John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival. “You look talented” was Cooper’s icebreaker as he addressed the eager short filmmakers packing the 222-seat Downtown Independent Theater.  “Shorts have been a big part of the Sundance Film Festival,” he explained.  “About a half of what we do is dedicated to short filmmaking.”

Director of Programming Trevor Groth took over master of ceremony duties as he brought to the stage Miguel Arteta, Jay Duplass, and Peter Sollett to spend three hours on the importance of story telling and finding your voice as a filmmaker.

In pinpointing where he and his brother Mark initially went wrong as filmmakers, Jay Duplass explained, “We were trying to be the Coen Brothers for a long time.  Don’t try to be the Coen Brothers, they’re always going to beat you.”

Duplass added, “No one in film school or on panels talks about it, but a big part of making art is trying to figure out who you are as an artist and what is unique that you have to offer the world.”

Peter Sollett showed his highly acclaimed, decade-old NYU thesis film “Five Feet High and Rising.”  “It’s a first kiss story,” Sollett told Groth. “I’m sure you see thousands every year – I feel like I do.  But the story became specific enough that it doesn’t suffer the downside.”  Sollett clarified for the filmmakers in the audience, “Specificity can liberate you from cliché.“

Miguel Arteta advised, “The most important thing is you are engaged with a vision of what you’re doing.  It does have to be personal, even if you don’t know it. “

Groth concluded the discussion recommending, “Make shorts because you need to create, you have stories welling up in you that need to be told.”

The 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. session on production was structured as individual presentations by Darrien Gipson of SAGIndie, Peter Golub of the Sundance Institute Film Music Program, Yancey Strickler of Kickstarter, Jacques Thelemaque of Filmmakers Alliance, and animator Corky Quakenbush.

Before the industry professionals did their highly informative spiels, the six Sundance Film Festival short film programmers took the stage to share their pet peeve short film clichés, followed by a video compilation of 20 more.  Among the worst offenders: pill popping montages, brushing teeth in front of the mirror, alarm clock opening scenes, stories about Hitler’s kin or reincarnation, and Burning Man documentaries.

Corky Quakenbush, who holds the record of the most amount of films to screen in competition at Sundance by one director (9), concluded the session on a high note by showing his laugh-packed classic holiday animation “A Pack of Gifts Now.” Quakenbush, who has made 150 shorts, emphasized the power of passion, vision, and forward momentum. “The world does work miracles when you put your heart in it,’ he promised.

The exhibition panel followed, moderated by Brent Hoff, editor/cofounder of Wholphin DVDs.  His panelists included Christian Gaines of Withoutabox/IMDB.com, Bob Moczydlowsky of Topspin Media, Nate Weinstein of YouTube, Chris Buss of Funny or Die, and Kim Yutani of Sundance Film Festival & Outfest.

Not surprisingly, the discussion focused on Internet exposure for shorts. Yutani stressed that Sundance has no restrictions or prejudice against shorts that have previous web-exposure.  “What we want to do at festivals is show your work and help you reach the widest audience possible.  In our efforts to support you, we’re not limiting you.”

“And Beyond” moderated by Anne Lai, Producer in Residence at the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program, was the final panel of the day.  Lana Kim of The Directors Bureau, Bec Smith of UTA, Geoff Stier of Paramount Pictures, and David Worthen Brooks of Fox Digital Studio made up the panel.

“In a marketplace that’s very tough,” remarked Bec Smith, “short films can be essential in getting a feature film in need of funding over the line.“  She gave the example of “Animal Kingdom” director David Michôd, who made a short a year before making his feature.  But she warned, “It’s a misconception that once you get an agent, it’ll be smooth sailing, that you’ll find the money for your feature.”

Ending on a hopeful note, Smith pointed out that “Hollywood is voracious and in love with talent.  If you’re confident in your short film/proud of it, if it speaks to who you are, then let everyone know.  If it’s as good as you think it is, people will take notice.”  Lana Kim added, “If you continually make good work, people will find you.”

After a dinner break/networking mixer, the evening concluded with an inspirational screening of all the jury-recognized shorts from this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

Almost thirteen hours after they first took their seats, filmmakers left the theater knowing the ShortsLab educational experience isn’t completely over.  ShortsLab: L.A. workshop graduates submitting their shorts to the 2011 Sundance Film Festival will receive individual feedback on their work from a festival programmer.

Inspired by the turnout and positive feedback, Sundance insiders hope that the ShortsLab will not be a one-time/Los Angeles-only event.  When upcoming workshops are announced, short filmmakers would be wise to follow Octavio Maya’s example and be there, no matter how far you have to travel.

Made a video for our ShortsLab: L.A. event on July 31st…

The theme?  Top 20 Film cliches we see as programmers.

The point?  To educate people.

The risk?  That I really want to write 80 things on here, but don’t want to scare people.

The reality?  I kinda hope I’ll someday see a ‘Tell Tale Heart’ that I really want to program.

The other reality? That I’m 30-years-old and still buying cereal based on what cartoon characters are on the box…but I digress…

It happened again – been blogged about by another.  But this time is was consensual, and there wasn’t any whiskey in my sight to blame it on the following morning.

Original article can be found here.

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Monday, July 12, 2010

Secrets to Sundance: ShortsLab in LA

Alrighty you wonderful Shorts Report readers, I have a special treat for you.  The lovely and generous  Todd Luoto, Shorts Programmer, Sundance Film Festival has offered up a few little tidbits of insight just for you.  He took some time out of his busy schedule preparing for the upcoming ShortsLab: LA to answer some of our questions.

Tell us about the workshop you’re doing.

After the success of our LA-based public event ‘Downtown & Dirty Shorts’ last summer, we’ve decided to go even further this year by organizing a day-long How-To for shorts filmmakers.  Our goal is to empower the next wave of emerging artists by giving them first-hand insight into the basics of developing their idea, to making their film, to getting it seen by audiences.  We are  packing our panels and discussions with a wide-ranging mix of filmmakers and industry professionals that will hopefully inspire and encourage filmmakers looking for a leg up on the many aspects to (primarily narrative) short filmmaking.

The medium of short film is gaining prominence – short film festivals popping up everywhere lately – why do you think that is?

I think we live in a video culture.  The model used to be just half-hour to hour shows on TV, and two-hour productions (give or take) at theatres.  But now, thanks to the internet, commercial spots, innovate programming, social media, etc, the short form has been widely accepted and embraced. For a new generation of artists with affordable production and editing tools, it seems like everyone can – and has – made a short video of their own. And naturally, with that comes additional places that people can screen them. Our culture at large has gotten really hip to the form. It’s great really… Film festivals, once upon a time, used to be one the only places you could see shorts in the US, now they have are one of the premiere (and certainly most fun) places to celebrate them.

[Todd looking unintentionally Vulcan-esque here]

What can short films do that features or webseries can’t?

In comparisons to features, I feel shorts have the advantage of opportunity. You can literally do anything in a short film, the only real restriction is the run time. With that in mind, experimentation – both in story and in form – is often explored.  That’s not to say features can’t adopt that sort of innovate approach…because they can and constantly have…it’s just that the risk feature filmmakers take with such challenges is one of losing your audience for the next 80 or so minutes. Shorts are short – and if something works, it’s a great albeit quick ride. And it not, a couple of minutes isn’t too long for the audience wait it out.

To be honest, I think the lines are a bit blurred now when it comes to web projects. At the Sundance Film Festival, we like to recognize the many forms of short films, to which there are a lot. Some pieces we program are much more traditional types of tales, but there’s no doubt that we’ve recognized (and have programmed) a different type of storytelling with web content. Drunk History (by Jeremy Konner & Derek Waters)won the prize for US Short last year. That series premiered on YouTube and Funny or Die over a year before we programmed the newest installment this past January. So, to be honest, all forms are really coming under the same umbrella, as it makes for a great programming block and is worthy of getting experienced by an audience in various settings.

Digital is making film making tools more accessible, yet story remains the most important component of the project. What can a short filmmaker do to ensure that their script is ready to be shot (not rush to production just because they can)?

I think that’s what it often boils down to between a good short and a great short (and a not so great short, but I’m trying to be optimistic here): story. With a good story, we are more apt to overlook other flaws the film might contain. With a bad story, and even a great production, it’s much more of a setback. As beautiful as the film looks, as tight as the editing makes things flow, the film will have a hard time getting attention if things remain cliché, conventional, and ride the wave of familiarity. That’s not to say we dismiss everything else – we definitely don’t – but there’s a reason why the script is the ultimate foundation for a film.

Canadian shorts have had a big role at Sundance over the years, what are we doing right that’s attracting your programmers?

I must tip the hat to our former shorts programmer, Shane Smith, who is now working with TIFF, for this fact. Shane lives in Toronto, and has a great relationships with Canadian filmmakers and film companies. I think over the years, he helped bring a lot of talented filmmakers to our attention, and had seen a lot of great material back home that he wanted to share with us. The good news is, even in Shane’s absence, he created a bridge for us that didn’t dismantle when he moved on. I trust we will still continue to a number program Canadian films, because well, many can be really quite good.

As far as attraction goes, places like the NFB seem to really know the formula for solid short films. There’s also a lot of talent up north indeed, even if it comes from the filmmaker directly. Maybe it’s in the water?